The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-11-30
TIE F1FTIErH CONGRESS.
The Complexion and Probable Attitude OF
the House.
from the Baltimore Sun.

The Complexion and Probable Attitude OF
the House.
(From the Baltimore Sum-
The 9th OF December, the date on
which the Fiftieth Congress will begin
its labors, is already ne&r 9. he2a.
Within the short space OF three weeks
the members Of the Natioaa! LeglSlatur:
will have assembled az Washington and
have taken steps Of preparation Tor tae
work OF e long session. Both houses OF
the Fiftieth Congress VIII he OF the same
political complexion rs n the Forty
ninth, but with GuIsinisne5; majority
for the party dominant IN each. That IS
TO say, the Senate Will continue RepGb-
lean by s majority OF ;, as against q
majority OF $ during the Forty-ninth
Congress, While tie EoUse viii be Dem
ocrstic By majority oi 43 Il the Forty
ninth Congress. The fact that the
coming session preceGes immediately q
Presidential election lends extraordinary
interest to its work, discouragas the e2-
pectation that much useful legislation
viii be accomplished. The Senate and
House, unless past experience IS mis-
leading, viii be At cross purposes, each
trying to kill important measures oriGl-
mated by the ether from which party
capital can be made, or wing with each
other in the passage OF extravaSaHt bills
OF a demagogical character. :,
The great measure OF the SESSION VIII
be an Act to reduce taxes, The attitude
to be assumed toward This necessary and
inevitable measure by the parties respon-
sible for the control respectively OF the
House and the Senate is question upon
which sn early decision will have to be
made. The Republican Senate will, we
may assume, continue to favor tie reten-
tion OF the existing tariff taxes. Ii there
is to be reduction OF taxation the Sen
ate will favor the abolition OF the inter
nal taxes on beer, whiskey and tobacco.
Until such measure OF tax reduction
can be secured It will continue to cali
patriotically for big appropriations for
pensions, subsidies, forts and big guns,
proposing to obviate tie accumulation
of 6angerous surplus in the treasury
by distributing the expenditure Of mani
moth SUNS over series OF years. The
Senate knows its mind, and will act in
the interest of the protecticnists IN any
event, whether by obstructirg and mu-
tlating tariff reform bill coming from
the House, OK by originating fal:aclous
tax reduction Dill Of its own.
The House, unfortunately, Is less de-
cided. The Democratic majority Is
divided upon the Issue OF tsx reform.
There is e small and obstinate faction Of
the Democratic members, under Mr..
Rsndal's leadership, vino favor the Re-
publican policy OF protection. In con-
junction with the Republicans they are
sufficiently numerous, 1t appears, Il true
to Mr.. Randall, to defeat any plan OF
tax reduction the msjority Of the Demo
cratic representation may propose. They
are not sufficiently numerous or devoted
TO Mr. Randall, It IS said, to defeat Mr..
Carlisle's reelection to the Speakershlp,
sbet. In tie absence Of corresponding de-
fecsiens from the Republicans Of the
House, they hold the balance Of power
aSresards al fiscal questions.
The Democratic plan fer the reduction
of taxes viii most probably be asfol.ows:
TO abolish altogether the internal tax on
tobacco; to remove, L practicable, the
tax on fruit brandies; to put the raw
materials OF manufacturers on the free
list, and, finally, TO reduce the tax on
imported articles, consumed II g large
measure By the poor.
Mr.. RardalPs plan IS simpler: To
abolish the internal taxes on beer and
ySiskey as well as tobacco, and. if this
effects too large reduction OF the Gov
ernment's income, to restore it by IN
creasing the tariff taxes on articles, sUch
rs TN plate, that are trIed now below the
average rate. Nr. Eandai('s scheme Is
so clearly imlracGcable and u1wise that
tariff reformers cherish the hope that
their more reasonable measure viii, IN
the end wiz enough Ranoalllte and Re
publican votes to insure its passage.
Once passed by the House, 8 bill so
popular with the masses will hardly, 1t
IS thought, be wholly rejected IN the
Senate within few months Of a Presi-
Dental election.
Apart from tariff reform tie measures
most likely to try the virtue OF Congress
men during the coming session are ex-
travagant pension bills. The excesses 81
st. Louis Of Grand Army pension hunt
ers have largely strengthened the feel
.ipgs against such bills, and President
Cleyelandmsy be trusted to veto bills
passed for burcombe. The Canadian
fisheries question will, no doubt, obtain
,arge share OF attention, IN case the
commission sitting s5 Washington is able
20 negotiate q suitable treaty. The
President viii probably be roughly
handled BY Senator Frye, for not using
his powers 10 prohibit commercial inter:
course with our Northern neighbor, hui
the progress OF events has minimized the
fisheries issue, and everybody is now
aware that it is not worth going to war
ABOUT. The failure Of the river and
harbor bill at the last session CT the
Fortyninth Congress imposes on the
Ffieth the necessity OF providing hber-
ally for the needs Of the coming fiscal
year.
Fated Ship.